Orange County Day Care Assn.

The Orange County Department of Social Services estimates that nearly 85% of the county’s children under age 3 are in family day care homes. Many Orange County parents, obviously, are wondering where to find a trustworthy hand to rock the cradle from 9 to 5.

“Finding good child care is a hassle for everyone involved,” said Willa McManigal, an in-home day care provider. “The parents worry, the child’s life is disrupted and the in-home provider must prove that he or she is capable, competent and caring.”

Which is why, McManigal explains, the collective approach to finding a suitable in-home provider has been so successful. The Orange County Day Care Assn., a nonprofit group of licensed in-home day care providers, operates a free child care referral service. The service currently has more than 800 state-certified professional child care providers registered as members.

“All a parent has to do is pick up the phone and call us,” she said. “Since we have providers listed by ZIP Code, the caller will hang up with three or four local referrals in hand.”

Before signing a contract with a provider, McManigal suggests preparing a list of items to check off while going through the in-home day care facility: * Always ask to see the license of the facility. Day care centers should be registered with the county Department of Social Services. * Observe the interaction between the provider and the children. Do the children hesitate going to the provider? Does the provider ignore the children or shove them away? * Is the house clean? Ask to see where the children sleep. Look inside the cupboards and the refrigerator. Check the bathroom and ask to see the space where diapers are changed. * Ask about the childrens’ daily schedule. Are there age-appropriate toys available? * What are the vacation/sick day policies? Clarify for both child and provider. What is the maximum number of children the provider will watch?

* Agree on a weekly fee and payment schedule. Most day care facilities require payment on Friday to reserve space for the child during the following week.

“Besides helping parents locate adequate day care facilities, we are a strong lobbying group concerned with issues involving both parents and providers,” said Tina Peltzer, president of the Orange County Day Care Assn.

The goals of the group include upgrading the quality of child care in Orange County and maintaining state licensing and inspection requirements. It also supports requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training for licensed in-home providers and mandating immunization at the day care level.

The need for day care is reflected in new college courses. There are currently several child care profession courses offered at local colleges, including Saddleback, Orange Coast and Fullerton.

And Peltzer believes the field will continue to grow. “There are more than 2,700 licensed day care providers in Orange County today,” she said. “Over the next decade, through the lobbying efforts of parents and groups like mine, I think we’ll see in-home providers become a legitimate profession.” Hours: Phone lines are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Pnone: (714) 960-7370